Shadowed by the rivers, fresh fish is essential and intrinsic to the culinary heritage of the food-obsessed Bengali community.

In mid-April, the people of Bengal, a region straddling Bangladesh and parts of India, including my hometown in West Bengal, celebrate the Bengali New Year.

A core component of the essential taste of Indian food is ensuring the flavors are fresh and bright and not bogged down by unnecessary reheating and refreshing.

This Valentine's Day, as you look for foods besides oysters and chocolate to woo the object of your affection, consider exploring your spice cabinet.

Sankranti refers to the passage of the sun from one Zodiac sign to another. On Jan. 15, this transition happens from Capricorn to Aquarius, called Makara on the Hindu calendar.

As the new year emerges, the world welcomes a fresh start, usually with hopes of a new beginning with some luck thrown into the mix.

In Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, families of all religious backgrounds embrace Christmas traditions, including a far more moist and softer version of fruitcake than the traditional kind found in the United States.